Marc Cucurella Vows Luis de la Fuente Face Tattoo If Spain Win 2026 FIFA World Cup

A wave of self-belief is sweeping through the Spain camp ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener, with Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal both making light-hearted but striking public pledges tied to a potential Spanish triumph.

Speaking to Spanish radio station COPE from La Roja’s training base, Cucurella, 27, promised to permanently ink head coach Luis de la Fuente’s face onto his body if Spain go on to win the tournament. “If we win the World Cup, I would get a tattoo of Luis de la Fuente’s face!” the left-back declared.

The commitment carries significant personal weight for Cucurella, whose international career was largely dormant under De la Fuente’s predecessors. Since the coach transitioned from the Under-21 setup to lead the senior side, Cucurella has become a fixture in the squad, earning 23 caps. His most notable contribution came at UEFA Euro 2024, where he assisted the winning goal as Spain claimed the continental title.

Cucurella’s vow follows a similar pledge from Lamine Yamal, who stated he would grow out his beard and moustache for three full weeks if Spain are crowned world champions. The 18-year-old, who registered 18 goals and 25 assists across 55 appearances for Barcelona in a standout domestic campaign, had been a source of concern for the Spanish coaching staff after suffering a late-season hamstring injury.

Yamal and fellow winger Nico Williams, who sustained a similar injury, had both been absent from Spain’s most recent warm-up fixture — a 3-1 victory over Peru — due to their respective fitness issues. However, both players have since returned to full group training at the squad’s base camp, easing concerns over their availability ahead of the tournament proper.

With their two most dynamic attacking options fit and available, De la Fuente has a full-strength squad at his disposal as Spain prepare to defend their status as reigning European champions on the global stage. The side arrive in North America in formidable form, carrying an unbeaten run of 33 matches that stretches back to March 2023 — a sequence that underlines their status as one of the pre-tournament favourites.

Spain have been drawn into Group H and will open their 2026 World Cup campaign against debutants Cape Verde at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday, 15 June. They will subsequently face Saudi Arabia and Uruguay to complete the group stage.

The tournament is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking the first FIFA World Cup to feature an expanded 48-team format. Spain, as Euro 2024 champions, enter as one of the most closely watched sides in the competition, with the fitness and form of Yamal in particular drawing considerable attention from football analysts globally.